A Few Notes

Jardin de Contenu

Two fresh, aromatic bouquets of peonies and irises later, Marinette and Luka were walking the busy streets of their city. Each held a shiny plastic bundle of blooms, nestled at their shoulders, leaving their other arm free. If Marinette noticed Luka's not-so-subtle glances at her hand, she acted none the wiser.

He was usually good at declaring his feelings. In fact, Luka had already been quite blunt about his affections for Marinette, more than once. At the TVi Tower, the ice skating rink, his houseboat, he had allowed the words to flow free as lyrics, face-to-face. But now that those songs had already been sung, he was stuck wondering exactly where he stood. Nothing had seemingly changed. What could he possibly say next?

Luka opened his mouth, then closed it. Again.

Marinette was humming, practically skipping along the sidewalk, her mood brightened by the scent of her favorite flowers and the golden light of the late afternoon sun. There were no supervillains, no insufferable nemeses, no clouds to dampen her sunshine. She was, for once, exceedingly and deliciously content.

There was only one thing that could make the moment that much sweeter.

Pulling her phone from her purse with her free hand, Marinette checked the location status of one wonderfully famous, treat-selling vendor. Andre the Ice Cream Man was parked at his regular location above the Seine, among hundreds of lovers-locks that tourists and locals alike had fastened to the walls of the bridge. Andre was a merchant of both ice cream and rhyming, musical love advice, and he was a sensation among the many couples of France.

Marinette grabbed Luka's hanging arm, pulling him toward the river. "Let's get some ice cream!" she laughed, dashing for the bridge. It was all Luka could do not to stumble as they ran, the smile on his face growing so wide it might have popped off.

"Ah, Marinette!" Andre exclaimed in greeting as the girl hauled herself and the hapless boy to the front of his kiosk. His eyes trailed to her friend, who she still gripped by the hand. "And who's this?"

"Luka," the blue-haired boy replied, still grinning.

Brandishing his gilded ice cream scoop, Andre quickly recited a rhyme. "Blackberry-blueberry, a sweet fruit sensation, for a love that will meet all expectations." He deposited two healthy scoops onto a single cone, then held the treat out to the couple with a faint smile, remembering a time not long ago when mint would have been in the mix. "Enjoy!"

Marinette cheered, giving her thanks as she nimbly took the cone. Luka was sad to feel her hand drop from his, but he immediately brightened as she gestured toward a nearby bench. The two set their flowers down, then dug their individual spoons into the sky-colored, sugary masterpiece of an ice cream.

Sighing in satisfaction as the sweet, fruity cream hit her tongue, Marinette giggled as Luka echoed her sentiment. Their eyes met, and she almost gasped as he reached forward to brush a finger against her lip.

"You've got a little something there," Luka smiled, his touch lingering. He swiped away a bead of blue and licked it from his thumb.

Marinette's eyes were wide, and her face felt as if it were burning. She shoved another spoonful of ice cream in her mouth before she could blurt out anything incriminating.

It turned out Luka didn't have to say anything at all. Actions conveyed quite enough.

The sun was just beginning to low in the sky as they made the journey back to the bakery. Marinette was wistful as she said her goodbyes, waving as Luka fastened his yellow helmet on his head and sped down the street. She strode inside, the door's bell jingling, to meet the stern gaze of Sabine.

"Just a little while, huh?" her mother raised a brow, her arms folded and stiff in front of her chest.

"Oh." Marinette seemed to shrink beyond her already slight stature. She had completely forgotten the time. Luka had made quite the distraction, and while it was very much appreciated, she hadn't been able to keep her earlier promise in mind. "Sorry, Maman."

But to her relief, her mother put on a conspiring smirk, dropping her arms. "So how was it? Did you kiss? And flowers! How romantic. Did he buy those for you?"

"Maman!"